Sindh CM, PM Nawaz hold crucial meeting today to resolve differences. PHOTO: AP
CM Qaim Ali Shah will meet PM Nawaz Sharif today (Wednesday) and the leaders would most probably discuss the current political situation, the PM House confirmed on Tuesday.
Karachi operation: Govt won’t leave job half-done, says PM
According to insiders, the top leadership of both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party have devised the agenda of the meeting and points to be discussed, bargained and argued.
Two-point agenda
After his arrival in Islamabad, CM Shah held meetings with the PPP’s senior leaders to devise the strategy for his meeting with the PM.
Sources in the PPP said Shah would try to convince the premier on its two major demands for the Rangers operation to continue: not to arrest any political figures in Sindh and not to raid any government offices on corruption charges.
CM Shah would focus on these two points instead of protesting over the ongoing tussle with the interior ministry over the notification of Rangers policing powers, the sources added.
Rejecting the Sindh government’s summary of giving conditional powers to Rangers in Karachi, the federal government had directly provided legal cover to the paramilitary force with full powers under the anti-terrorism laws.
As a minimum, insiders said, the Sindh CM has been tasked with getting the PM’s surety on not arresting political figures on charges of corruption.
The top PPP leadership has already decided against going to court over the federal government’s notification on Rangers powers. But the party will take up this issue in parliament and all available forums to register their protest.
The sources said if PM did not budge from his position, the PPP would intensify its aggression against the federal government in the Senate. The party, they added, would also not hesitate in using the forum to criticise the military’s political moves on foreign policy, National Action Plan, regional issues or the economy.
PML-N’s strategy
Sources in the ruling party said the federal government was at the peak of its popularity because of the Karachi operation and the PM would simply ask Sindh to cooperate with the Centre over the Rangers issue.
Although the federal government needs active engagement of the Sindh government, this would not come at the cost of the Karachi operation or Dr Asim Hussain, they said. The PM, the sources said, is in no mood to commit to anything on Karachi operation.
Consultative meeting
Before leaving for Islamabad, CM Shah presided over a high-level meeting with senior provincial ministers and constitutional experts in Karachi over the ongoing dispute with the federal government.
Karachi operation: Rangers stand as an anti-terror bulwark
The participants decided the provincial government would not succumb to the Centre’s pressure over the Rangers powers.
The Sindh government believes the paramilitary forces or the federal departments have no authority to interfere in provincial affairs and before taking any action they are under an obligation to seek the CM’s permission.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2015.
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